Shaiva Upanishads (A Critical Study)
by Arpita Chakraborty | 2013 | 33,902 words
This page relates ‘Shiva Alone worthy of being meditated upon’ of the study on the Shaiva Upanishads in English, comparing them with other texts dealing with the Shiva cult (besides the Agamas and Puranas). The Upaniṣads are ancient philosophical and theological treatises. Out of the 108 Upanishads mentioned in the Muktikopanishad, 15 are classified as Saiva-Upanisads.
6. Śiva Alone worthy of being meditated upon
Merely for the reason that they were all subject to influence of Māyā, all the gods were deluded through false pride begotten of mistaken identification (into thinking that Brahmā, the Creator, Viṣṇu, the Sustainer, and Rudra, the destroyer are different entities, although they are really identical being parts of the self-same non–differentiated Paramātman). It is not possible for any one to dilate on even a small fraction of the great potency of that (entity that is untouched by the Upādhi of Māyā, viz, the Paramātman, Rudra). What transcends the transcendent, imperishable Īśvara that outstrips the perishable phenomenal world is likewise Hari. For the reason that the Īśa is what is transcendent (Viṣṇu), there is verily none else either to match or to excel him. The One Śiva alone is eternal. All things apart from him are false.
Hence, to the exclusion of all the gods, such as Viṣṇu and others that are worthy of being meditated upon.
Śiva alone is par excellence worthy of being meditated upon as the liberator from all the bonds of worldly existence. Unto him, the great consumer, unto that great overlord, salutation.[1]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Śarabha Upaniṣad v31-34. [...]